A look back at a crazy MidPoint weekend

It's recovery day. Three raging nights of music showcases have ended, we've all slept in and the little memories that made all the sleep deprivation worth it are quickly coming back.

Here's what I saw last night:

1. Sohio at the Exchange. OK, I was very late arriving - but the last few numbers I caught by this band were solid, and the crowd was digging it. Worth more investigation.

2. 500 Miles to Memphis at Mr. Pitiful's. Wow - I had heard great things about this local country-ish rock band, but they were better than expected. Think country Green Day - grown-up, twangy punk. New favorite local band, perhaps?

3. Turnbull AC's at the Exchange. Post-punk with charismatic frontman. The last couple of songs represented the band well - a tad dramatic (especially the beats and presentation) but all built around thoughtful lyrics and melodies.

4. IamIs at Japp's. Fun, almost spastic folksy rock.

5. The Woos at Japp's. After a couple "bald eagle man" sightings (yep, someone was roaming the streets in full-on eagle costume), the Woos busted out their retro-grunge set - always heartwarming. A friend went on and on about how amazing the Woos are - and it's so true!

6. The Swarthy Band at Jekyll & Hyde's. Before the 11 p.m. sets ended, I ran over to see Swarthy. He was stripping, the crowd was going crazy, girls were dancing - and so were the guys, actually. Former CiN intern Rich was up there in the front, partying like only college kids can.

Around 11:45 p.m., on the way to Harry's for a break, I noticed the MPMF shuttle for the first time. The shuttles are a great idea, but people were confused. Hopefully by next year, the stops will be marked and the whole shuttle system streamlined.

7. The Spunks at alchemize. Some crazy ska-punk stuff going on downstairs at alchemize, and it's so packed that I decide to wait for GitoGito Hustler at the upstairs bar (more breathing room, and bar space).

8. GitoGito Huster is hot - more punk than pop, and charming in that "we're from Japan and can barely speak English" way. This was the most crowded I've ever seen alchemize, and the most packed I've seen a MidPoint venue. (Nick Spencer was pleased, obviously.) When obnoxious drunk people start moshing in the front, I head to the back. This is fun, but not worth all that.

9. Marvin and the Experience at RBC. Party people are out in packs tonight, and Marvin is the place to be to get your groove on. He's as striking as ever - popped collar, black hat.

10. Moth at Neon's courtyard. It's funny to see frontman Brad Stenz wearing a white shirt for some reason - he's usually more of a black-on-black guy it seems. Despite the shirt, the Moth show is loud and full of punk-rock swagger.

11. Lovely Crash at Japp's. On the way back to my car on Main and Central, Lovely Crash is still going strong - it's packed, and the couple of songs I catch sound great. It's smart garage-punk-pop, and it becomes great party music at this hour..

Last chance for MidPoint! My Saturday night picks.

Internet drama is over! Many thanks to Lookout Joe! I've got my blended mocha and my free wireless connection and I'm amped for tonight's showcases (and maybe after-parties?).

SATURDAY NIGHT PICKS, BY THE HOUR

• 9 p.m. sleepybird at Japp's - lovely indie folk - seems like a good way to kick off the evening (cuz you know it's gonna get hectic later).
• 10 p.m. Turnbull AC's at TheExchange - They're the local buzz-band-of-the-moment, and I still haven't seen them. It's finally time.
• 11 p.m. The Woos at Japp's - They make joyous, friendly indie-pop. Think the Go-Go's covering My Bloody Valentine - brilliant!
• Midnight. I'm going to stop by the Lab Rats at Jekyll & Hyde's second floor - I've never seen the Columbus indie hip-hoppers, and I'm very curious. (Note: I've learned over the weekend that around midnight I need a little break, so sometime in this hour I'll probably head to Harry's or Courtyard for a snack!)
• 1 a.m. GitoGito Hustler at alchemize - Everyone's foaming at the mouth for this performance. I'll be there. It's Japanese, it's pop, and it's fun.

BANDS TO INVESTIGATE

• 9 p.m. - Definition (local hip-hop)
• 10 p.m. - Culture Queer (art-rock with eccentric multi-media show), 500 Miles to Memphis (alt-country - I hear great things)
• 11 p.m. - The Defrost Star (dynamic, angsty and loud), The Swarthy Band (Who needs Red Bull when you can sponge off Swarthy's incredible energy?), Infinite Number of Sounds (electro-rock from Cleveland)
• Midnight - The Newbees (sweet harmonies, joyful retro-rock), Emily Hagihara (beautiful voice, creative arrangements)
• 1 a.m. - Lovely Crash (Hole/Bangles hybrid), Moth (ecstatic, harder-hitting rock, with a very intense frontman), Ruetschle (Ohio's version of Brit-pop), Marvin and the Experience (Marvin is smoooooth!)

MidPoint night No. 2

I should definitely be asleep by now - the Friday night music showcases ended a couple hours ago and I'm certainly tired. But I think it's best to get my mini-reviews out while they're still fresh in mind.

I ran into more bad luck with my WiFi tonight - I think this "blogging from the spot" thing might require more experimentation (and maybe a whole entourage o f IT types).

My route tonight was hectic, but totally worth it. Here's what I saw:

1. Schooley Station. I started off at the Exchange, said hi to a few members of Minni-Thins and the Newbees (those guys are everywhere!). I was expecting something a little more subtle from this band - a softer indie rock, but the part of their set I caught was pretty upbeat.

2. Two Turntables and a Saxophone. Setting the pace for the rest of the evening, I quickly jet over to Jekyll & Hyde's to hear the last few songs by the local woodwind/DJ duo. It's so crowded in there! It's like a dance party, and when Thomas Krenzel Doggett isn't playing the sax, he's encouraging the crowd to dance and get rowdy. A fun interlude.

3. Paper Airplane. My favorite band of the night, they've got a set that's captivating from beginning to end. No flashy stage antics, just genuinely great songwriting.

4. Holly Spears. This was mostly a stop at Kaldi's to try out the WiFi, but when I found out I had to pay for it, I gave up. As a friend ordered her latte, we could hear Holly Spears crooning in the background and we discuss the "singer-songwriter" genre, its ups and downs.

5. Captain of Industry. A spirited and sweaty performance. Frontman Nathan Peters walks a tricky line between crazy and cute, but I think he comes out on top.

6. The Rockwells. I rushed to the Exchange for And Andy, but I was too late. Lots of CiN people had made it out, so I stuck around to chat and heard the beginning of the Rockwells' set. The band's brand of rock was entertaining, but not mind-blowing. (The highlight of that visit to the Exchange: Gina's red-hot cowgirl boots.)

7. Oxymoronatron. The theatrical band was wreaking lovely havoc upstairs at alchemize.

8. The Apparitions. I was curious about the Lexington band, and so were lots of other festival hoppers. There was a great crowd, and the songs were big, fun rock songs.

9. Le TechnoPUSS13S. Last time I saw this band was during a basement party in Clifton Heights. Put them on a big stage and the theatrics multiply - lots of silly string, a sparkly bikini top and some fringe.

(12:30 a.m. Break for pizza at Harry's! Slice of cheese, Moerlein on special, please.)

10. Sundayrunners. Back up to Neon's for a set by the Chicago band. The band's a little Brit-rock, and the lead singer's strong voice is a highlight.

11. Girls on Film. OK, I looooved the outfits, but the whole '80s thing was a tad over the top. "They're more '80s than the '80s actually were," a friend said - and I agree. Still, great blouses, ladies.

My Friday night picks!

Now that we've all digested the events of last night, and the next round starts in less than four hours, here are my Friday night picks! (Looks like I'll be spending a lot of time running between alchemize and Neon's.)

FRIDAY NIGHT PICKS, BY THE HOUR*

• 9 p.m. Schooley Station at the Exchange - Kicking off what looks like a great lineup of pop-rock, this middle-of-nowhere-Ohio band plays soft, sad songs.
  
• 10 p.m. Paper Airplane at alchemize - If frontman and main songwriter Ryan Horns did his gig solo it would be great, but it's amazing as the full-band ensemble of Paper Airplane. (See the CiN story.) The Ohio band mixes an organ into their already lovely indie-rock mix, and the result is a whole slew of folksy, laid-back rock songs.
  
• 11 p.m. Captain of Industry at Neon's courtyard - They were a total buzz band at last year's festival, and the Dayton group has the energetic-rock/awesome stageshow thing down, which counts for major cool points.
  
• Midnight - The Apparitions at alchemize - I don't know much about the music scene in Lexington, but judging by this band, it's a shiny, happy situation. The Apparitions make lighthearted but earnest pop-rock with an indie-rock glaze.
  
• 1 a.m. sundayrunners at Neon's courtyard - A buzz band in Chicago, expect solid, spectacular rock in every shade of gorgeous alt-rock.

(*Note that none of these bands are local!)

BANDS TO INVESTIGATE

• 9 p.m. - Soular (epic rock a la Coldplay, perhaps), Two Turntables and a Saxophone (crazy mix of woodwinds and turntables), Wendy Newcomer (country)
• 10 p.m. - Fairmount Girls (this band was my introduction to local music back in high school - and never fails to put on a creative, heartwarming show), Elliott Ruther Trio (he loves local music, and it loves him), Gold Coast Refuse (alt-country from Chicago), Bulletproof Charm (dynamic rock)
• 11 p.m. - The Nite Lights (Philadephia-bred rock that pulls influences from ... everywhere), And Andy (we always love this local pop-rock band)
  
• Midnight - Oxymoronatron (always fun, quirky rock), Le TechnoPUSS13S (chaotic "anti-pop"), Shane Bartell (well-versed singer-songwriter), Cari Clara (dramatic rock with an enormous sound)
• 1 a.m. Adam Evil and the Outside Royalty (I'm expecting a theatrical experience), Girls on Film (love the '80s outfits), Ellison (lush, emo-rock), The Whitney Barricklow Band (groovy singer-songwriter), G. Burton (funny frontman)
  

10 bands, 4 hours: my Thursday night MPMF experience

I have a confession: This year is my first real MidPoint experience.

For the past two years I spent MidPoint weekend volunteering as a stage manager - telling bands what to do, getting free CDs and stickers, mingling - first at Jekyll & Hyde's and last year at Crush. It was a great situation: Over the course of the three nights, I was guaranteed to see 14 bands, without all the running around. Plus, I made some great friends behind the bar.

But when my friends would roll into "my venue" and recount their tales of multi-venue festivity, I couldn't relate. I wanted to join their caravans, see six bands in an hour. Finally, I took my name off the volunteer roster (sorry, guys!) and happily accepted my media badge. Now I'm free to run around and satisfy every musical whim. Start at Viper Room, stop by Arnold's and round out the first hour at Neon's? Totally!

The freedom is great, but I've gotta say - last night was hard work. After rushing out of work, stopping home for a quick bite and reviewing my course for the evening, I barely made it to Main Street in time for the first round of bands at 9 p.m. I paid my $5 to park (hey, I was running late - no time for parallel parking) and ran down to Neon's to see Ellery (read about them in CiN) upstairs.

Of course, half of MidPoint is networking and catching up with friends - and I ran into a few on the way to Neon's, but I finally made it. I could hear the soft acoustic and pretty keyboards as I climbed the stairs. Their set was warm and sentimental and a lovely way to start the evening - a little calm in the frenzied schedule.

I cut out a bit early to try to catch the end of Wake the Bear's set at Courtyard. (Wake the Bear is a solo project by Scott Cunningham from Promenade.) It was about 9:30 p.m., but he had already ended his set (though I heard glowing reviews from friends who made it). Oh well, I can brush that dirt off my shoulders.

At this point in the night, I decided to crack open the laptop to start the bloggin'. Well, due to wireless miscommunications, I couldn't post those notes last night - so I'm going to post them here. Here's how the rest of my night went:

9:40 p.m. OK, finally a break long enough to crack open the laptop. I'm just rounding out the first hour of MidPoint and already things are hectic. (Oh, hey, Whitney Barricklow!)

After finding the mysterious Club Dream in the alley and trying really hard to ignore the strobe light outside, I've made it inside. Late Night Drivers are finishing up their set of well-crafted, pop-friendly songs. It's kind of nice in here - plush couch, a little table for my laptop - but, oh my goodness, a tiny mixed drink is $6.

9:55 p.m. The club is getting more crowded, people rolling in to see local pop-folk-rock band Wussy take the stage (that's why I'm here).

10:05 p.m. Oh - Wussy's starting! V. loud. V. hott. Good crowd for an hour that's still relatively early for a Thursday night. They're loud and even better live than on their recently-released album Funeral Dress. They play quite a few songs from the new album, but they take on a new life here.

I love Lisa Walker's guitar - shiny, red SG. And she's totally belting it out (in a great way). Sadly (back to the challenging schedule thing) I'm going to split to make it for the end of And How's set at Japp's.

10:37 p.m. Local art-rock duo And How just finished its set of experimental singer-songwriter stuff. Interesting vibe, and the songs are of the sort that won't get boring after a few listens. Will do more investigation with the free sampler they gave me.

Horray - drinks are cheaper at Japp's! The setup here is a little strange - the "stage" is just the back of the room, so people are crowded around the bar.

10:45 p.m. Gonna head over to see Abiyah at Jekyll & Hyde's (and hopefully a cameo upstairs to see that West Chester goth-rock band I mentioned earlier), and then RBC for Bockman.

11 p.m. Abiyah's having some technical difficulties, but once things get going, she slides right into her groovy, electronic set. No matter what happens with the beats that back her up, she's always the focal point. She's totally confident on stage, and a great performer. A friend I see there isn't so into it, but hey - that's what MidPoint is all about. You can jet whenever you're not feelin' it.

11:15 p.m. I sneak upstairs for a glimpse of Bluf - and wow, it's bright up here (totally inappropriate for their dark, pop-goth rock sound). They're certainly all decked out for the event - lots of black hair dye and eyeliner. I'm glad I got to see this, but it's not my thing, so I'm going to jump over to RBC to catch a little Bockman.

11:30 p.m. I always worry about the out-of-town bands at the festival - will people come see them? But Bockman is doing well here at RBC - lots of people filling out the space. The Colorado group is a little "jammy" - some funky guitar stuff going on, dynamic layers of keyboard - and I think it's fun. Hmm, why are there bags of Chipotle chips everywhere?

Midnight. There's a lot to see in my final hour. First, I catch a couple songs by local folksters For Algernon at Coopers on Main - and it's a highlight of the night, for sure. Maybe it's the vocal harmonies or the blaring but charming trombone - but this stuff is good. The band is made up of members of the Minni-Thins and also The Newbees - what a fine collaboration. But I've gotta go!

12: 10 a.m. Mr. Pitiful's is always heartwarming - and with the too-cute Stapletons rocking out, it's just too much to handle. They're a local band you can always count on for a good time, and their fans tonight are loving it. I'm staying for just a couple songs, because I've got to catch the end of Humans Bow Down way down at Japp's.

12:25 a.m. Humans Bow Down is in the middle of an intense song, but of course most of the band's songs are intense. They'll start out a little quiet, but sneak up and become something much bigger.

It's a great way to finish the first night - I'm tired and my ears are ringing, but it's all been totally worth it. Here's to two more nights of more of the same!

Full Thursday night report on the way

Wow, last night was intense.

Lots of bright-eyed bands on the streets, mingling with media, trading promises with other bands to check out each other's sets. (One guy from Canadian band Starewell gave me his band business card - impressive.)

Lots of lights - shining down, warming up the venues - plus the MidPoint logo light marking its spot along Main Street. (You know, in case you have to much to drink, that light will be there to guide you home.)

And swarms of sweaty, eager venue hoppers trying to fit in as much music into four hours as possible. It was a challenge, but I think there were plenty of victors.

To the point: the whole "wireless" thing didn't work out for me last night. I tried a few spots, and no luck! I'll be posting my write ups from last night's showcases very soon. (And later, my picks for Friday and Saturday nights.)

*Did you go to MidPoint last night? What did you think? Favorite bands? Not-so-hott bands? Awesome pizza at Harry's? (OK, that's obvious.)

My Thursday night picks!

Showcases start in four hours! My picks for tonight:

THURSDAY NIGHT PICKS, BY THE HOUR*

• 9 p.m. Ellery at Neon's upstairs - Locals Tasha and Justin Golden don't make music to dance to, and it's not edgy or high-tech. It's easy-going, warm and emotional. They blend layers of guitar, keys and accordian - and it's too cute that they're a married indie-pop duo. (Read CiN's story!)
  
• 10 p.m. Wussy at Club Dream - I've had the band's new release Funeral Dress on rotation on my iTunes for a while and the folksy alt-rock sound is totally growing on me. Can't wait to see them live - finally!
  
• 11 p.m. Abiyah at Jekyll & Hyde's second floor - She's experimental hip-hop, she's jazzy, she's totally alt-electro-funk. Well, whatever you want to call it, she's got her own thing going on, and it just seems to keep getting better.
  
• Midnight, Humans Bow Down at Japp's - Vibrantly lush sound that builds momentum during the life of each song - and sometimes takes a dark turn. Vocals are dynamic, and effects wallow throughout, but neither are overdone. Not a straightforward sound, but just familiar enough, a la Smashing Pumpkins.

(*Yep, these all happen to be local bands.)

BANDS TO INVESTIGATE (groups I am going to try very hard to squeeze into my schedule)

• 9 p.m. - Wake the Bear (shy, indie-minimalism), Stephanie's Id (experimental sounds topped by frantically beautiful female vocals), Side Show! (surprisingly fun, lighthearted funk from Dayton)
• 10 p.m. - And How (bizarre but heartwarming singer-songwriter stuff), The Thirteens (rockin' alt-country), Jayne Sachs (fun pop-rock)
  
• 11 p.m. - Bockman (indie-jazz mash-up from Colorado), Kentucky Struts (local alt-country with soulful frontman), Katie Reider (thoughtful, rockin' singer-songwriter)
• Midnight - for algernon (pretty, laid-back indie-folk), Coltrane Motion (dance-rock, experimental), The Stapletons (always put on a good show with their roots-rock set), Grand Oversoul (smart funk-jam band - see CiN story)
  

NOT EVERYONE'S INTO INDIE-POP, SO ... (more choices, more genres)

• If you're into the heavier stuff - goth-rock, screamo, straight-up metal - tonight's your night: both alchemize stages, Jekyll & Hyde's third floor stage and the Viper Room are all skewing a tad hard-rock. Surprise finds: West Chester goth-rock band Bluf seems totally fun; locals Patchwork are screamy but solid; and Detroit band Last Days has totally mastered the drama of hard rock, with plenty of crazy guitar lines.


• Head to Arnold's for an electic lineup of roots/Americana, including folksy-funk Longfellow, the Sean Michael Dargan Band's pop loveliness, the Louisiana-influenced sounds of Robin Lacy and alt-country Bucktown Kickback.

• Don't forget to hit up Kaldi's and Harry's, which are following a different schedule, with staggered sets.
  

Stay tuned

I'm still working through the enormous list of MidPoint bands, ironing out the kinks in my personal schedule for the three nights. I'll post those later today. For now, check out recommendations from these local music lovers:

*C.E. Hanifin is back in town for the festival - check out her picks, from the Enquirer.

*Rick Bird at the Post highlights two out-of-town bands.

*Joe Hansbauer has some picks on The Nati blog.

*Cincypunk.org has posted a guide to MidPoint.

*Local music lover/photographer/web magazine editor Dale Johnson and friends love, love, love these MidPoint bands.

*alchemize-only picks by Nick Spencer (part-owner of the club). Lots of indie-rock and out-of-towners. He's also got non-alchemize picks.

*Puck Dunaway, DJ and alchemize part-owner, suggests seeing only the out-of-town performers. (You can always check out local bands at another show, he argues.)

*Everybody's got an opinion on cincymusic.com. Lots of posts about MidPoint bands.

*The Sunday Challenger has write-ups on some Northern Kentucky bands playing the festival.

*Gotta give a shout out to former CiN intern Rich Shivener. In his column in The Northerner, he mentions a few bands worth seeing.

That's a starter. Hit me up with others you find! (kwethington@cincinnati.com)

The MidPoint glow

It's hot outside today. And with downtown construction in full swing (later I'll have to post my camera-phone photo of the deconstruction of the fountain), it's very loud. But the members of And Andy managed to rise above it for their midday performance. They were high in the sky - looking down on the crowded corners of Sixth and Walnut streets from their third-floor terrace stage at the CAC. They were also loud - the best kind of noise pollution.

Everyone seemed shiny and happy - partly from the heat, but also from the anticipation of the festival. Sean Rhiney, MPMF co-founder (along with Bill Donabedian, pictured below), was glowing, talking to the many MidPoint musicians that had come out to support And Andy. It wasn't the rock-and-roll Sean that you'll see running behind the scenes at the music showcases, or playing with his band Clabbergirl (10 p.m. Friday at Coopers on Main). It was professional, weekday Sean - still a little anxious about the festival, even after pulling it off for years now - but mostly just excited to be in the middle of it all.

He's probably got a million things on his "to do" list today and nine million people to call, but he's learned that at this point during MidPoint week, you just gotta let it happen. "It's a snowball - and we're just chasing it," he said as And Andy roared above.

It's clear how much work Sean and Bill have put into this festival - not without plenty of help, of course. It's the musicians that drive cross-country to get here, hoping to turn some new fans onto their sound. It's the volunteers who spend their weekend selling wristbands and merch. And it's a lot of music lovers from Cincinnati and beyond that are poring over their schedules right now, highlighting bands to see, circling "maybes" and underlining "musts."

Oh, it's exciting.

And Andy. Noon. CAC!

Well, kids, it's finally MidPoint time again! Musicians are rolling into town in their beat-up tour vans, MidPoint organizers are running around town like crazy people (I mean that in the best way possible) and industry folk and music lovers are making plans for another week of intense music madness.

One of our favorite local bands, And Andy, officially kicks off MidPoint in less than one hour. Starting at noon today, they'll be playing a set of their best sunny indie pop-rock songs from the third floor terrace of the Contemporary Arts Center, 44 E. Sixth St., downtown.If you work downtown, you definitely need to check it out. (CiN staffer Kelly recommends a bagel from nearby Bagel Stop or a leisurely lunch at Bella.)

CiN will be there in full force - because we love MidPoint, and also so we can cheer on And Andy bassist Rob, our lovely creative artist/illustrator. (If you miss the performance today, check the band out at 11 p.m. Friday at the Exchange.)

Other MPMF events today to get you in the mood for more music, all weekend long:

*Get a sneak peek at the exhibit The Photograph as Music Album Cover at the Cincinnati Art Museum starting at 3 p.m.

*Head to Kenwood Towne Centre tonight at 7 p.m. for a performance by Oval Opus. (And drool over the iPods and pretty laptops, of course.)

*Rush back downtown for the 7:30 p.m. MPMF CD Release Party at McFadden's (17 E. Seventh St.) and see performances by Fizzgig, Jason and the Argonauts and The Virgins!

Best of all, these events are all free! Yeah!

It's time to get psyched for MidPoint

The fourth annual MidPoint Music Festival doesn't officially kick off until Wednesday (check out the And Andy performance at noon at the Contemporary Arts Center downtown), but here at the CiN offices, we're totally ready.

If you're not ready - or maybe even totally clueless about the festival - you've got some time to prep. First, pick up a copy of CiN tomorrow for our giant MidPoint cover story, complete with a full schedule and venue map. Then, check out the MidPoint Web site to learn more about the bands, hear sound samples and figure out your own personal route.

For more guidance, keep checking the blog. Starting tomorrow, I'll be posting my "picks" - bands that you've just got to see, and the bands that will be on my agenda for the three nights of the festival.

Once the music showcases kick off on Thursday night, I'll be blogging live from the festival. Yep - I'll be the girl at the bar with a laptop.

And since I won't be able to see every showcase (so sad!), let me know all about your MidPoint experiences - bands, parties, hot stage managers. Comment away!